Dragon's Heart - The Legacy
by TheBayMan
Summary: In order to save the Dragon Slayers, who died at the hands of Acnologia and Zeref, Lucy is thrust 400 years into the past to set a new future in motion... A sixth Dragon Slayer is born, thanks to a new member of the Zodiac! (Natsu and Erza pairing.) AU - OCC - OC [ON BREAK]
1. Ch 1 - Redo!

_In order to save the Dragon Slayers, who died at the hands of Acnologia and Zeref, Lucy is thrust 400 years into the past to set a new future in motion... A sixth Dragon Slayer is born, thanks to a new member of the Zodiac! (Natsu and Erza pairing.) AU - OCC - OC_

 _ **Disclaimer... I do not own Fairy Tail.**_

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 **Dragon's Heart - The Legacy**

By: The Bay Man

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 _For four hundred years the Eclipse Gate sat waiting for the moment a descendant of Anna would emerge to fulfill the Heartfillia legacy and in the year 777 a young and vibrant Layla filled that roll - seven days later she was dead!..._

 _...But that was another past, another time-line! This time things would be different!_

* * *

 _As three battle-weary warriors stood in a clearing on the northern edge of Fiore, Acnologia was further south reigning hell upon the land. The Dragon Slayers fought valiantly but it wasn't enough to turn the tide._

 _...And so our story begins!_

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 _ **Chapter 1 - "Redo!"**_

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"Are you sure this is the right place Lucy?" The red-headed warrior said as she surveyed the landscape... Off in the distance, low rolling trees glistened under the morning's warm rays and a faint trickle of water could be heard just past the meadow from where they were standing.

Lucy carefully examined the map in her hands and sighed as she tried to get her bearings. Up until this clearing, she was sure they were on the right path. All indicators said that _'this'_ was the correct spot but she was apprehensive about her map reading abilities at this point and her frustration was starting to show. She drew a deep breath and sighed once more, "...honestly Erza, I'm just not sure anymore!"

"Here!..." Gray groaned as he moved between the two beauties and leaned over Lucy's shoulder to steal a gaze at the old weathered map. "...Let me have a look!"

After a few minutes of studying the map and their surrounding, Gray grinned and pointed to an area just off in the distance where a babbling brook met the golden tree-line. It was a place that was obscure and nearly impossible to see, but thanks to his Demon Slayer abilities he was able to see past the oblivious and see the obvious, otherwise their efforts would have proven fruitless.

"There!" Gray smiled as he pointed to the corner of the meadow. "The cave is over there!"

Both Erza and Lucy strained to see what Gray had quickly seen but they both groaned when it became apparent that they could see nothing of interest off in that direction, only trees as far as the eye could see.

"You sure Gray, because I can't see anything!" Lucy said as she again glanced down at the map.

"Trust me... It's there!" He smirked.

"Well then... I will defer to your better judgement!" Erza said as she picked up her back-pack and headed for the tree-line. She was closely followed by Gray and a somewhat confused Celestial Maiden.

As they entered the cave a cold chill crept up Lucy's spine and she shuttered at the thought of what was to come, _no_ , what she knew she had to do... Better yet, _must do!_ She knew she was making the right decision, it was something that she had agonized over for a full year and once she decided to make her move it was another five months of careful planning... And it all culminated with finding the last piece of the puzzle and inside _'this cave'_ her date with destiny awaited or at least she hoped that would be the case!

Seventeen months ago the battle for Alverez ended with heavy casualties on both sides. Led by the First Master of Fairy Tail, Mavis Vermillion, Zeref and his army were defeated by the forces of Alverez. Her will to protect her guild and it's children gave unprecedented strength to an already exhausted and battle weary group of fighters. They overcame and pushed back Zeref's army but Zeref played his trump card and activated _E.N.D_... That was when Lucy finally remembered what her mother had taught her about _'the one magic'_. It's power, _'the power of love'_ came with a terrible price but to her it was worth it, as it released Natsu from his shackles and destroyed the Demon _E.N.D_.. Unfortunately, when Zeref's hold over Natsu ended, his curse was also lifted and he passed-on but it was a double-edged sword as Fairy Tail's favorite son, Natsu Dragneel, passed-on as well...

...Without the Fire Dragon Slayer, the four remaining Dragon Slayers were out-matched and lost their battle against Acnologia. They fought bravely, giving every last once of strength that they had but in the end it wasn't enough... They failed and paid the ultimate price, but Lucy had a plan! She planned to change that outcome just as her _'future self'_ had done during the Grand Magic Games. Deep inside this cave the final piece of her elaborate puzzle lay hidden and she could right the wrongs and give her comrades another chance to change their fates.

"Lucy!..." A loud and extremely excited voice echoed through the cave. "...We found it!" Yelled Erza causing Lucy to sigh for a moment as she gathered her thoughts before running towards the voice that beckoned her. The final piece was within her grasp!

An hour later, the three friends shared a long heart-felt hug. No-one spoke as they just held one-another for what seemed like an eternity, but time was off the essence and finally Lucy broke free of her friends. They all understood the risks and they knew with Acnologia causing havoc, it was only a matter of time before the Chaos Dragon destroyed everything. Fioria's destruction was nearing its end and she had to act fast or there wouldn't be anything left to save.

"Thank you both for everything... I'm going to miss you two so much!" Lucy choked out as she looked from Erza to Gray and then back to Erza again. She could see tears forming in both their eyes and she knew that she had to remain strong or she would soon join them. Over the years they had been on countless adventures but they knew that this would be their last and in some small way it was probably for the best as it had felt odd to the three warriors that there was a piece of them that was missing... Team Natsu without Natsu just never felt right!

"Are you sure you have to do this Lucy?" Erza said as her hands were nervously tracing the hilt of her sword. "...There has to be some other way!"

"No!... I'm afraid this is the only way and if this works like I planned, Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers will be back and... And, so will my mother!" Lucy said as she coyly wiped her tears away before throwing her arms around her dear friend and showing them her best, but obviously faked, smile.

"We understand that Lucy..." Gray said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a black key and gently placed it in Lucy's hand and carefully folded her fingers over it. "...It's just that we wil..." Lucy placed a finger to Gray's mouth and gently smiled.

"I'm not dying you know!..." Lucy nervously exclaimed. "...I'll just be a little older, perhaps a little wiser but very much alive and kicking!... Perhaps with a few decades of training I'll be the one protecting you two instead of the other-way around!" She grinned. _'I'm sorry my friends... I hate having to deceive you but it's for your own good... Forgive me!'_ Lucy thought as she silently begged for forgiveness.

"There must be some way that you can come back?" Erza cringed at the thought of having to part with the girl who helped her to grow into the confident and out-going person she is today.

"I'm afraid it's a one-way trip!" Lucy reached down and grabbed her bag and gave her friends one last hug before she turned and walked into the dense forest and disappeared from sight.

A faint sound of crying could be heard as two proud Fairy Tail mages embraced one-another as they said their final _'good-byes'_ to their dear friend...

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After several hours of walking Lucy finally reached her destination, a large, lush-green field. Off in the distance the field gave way to a clear blue sky and behind her a dense forest that was framed by dark rolling mountains. With a calm heart and a rejuvenated spirit she moved forward. Slowly at first as she attempted to get her bearings but her pace quickened when she saw the rock pillars off in the distance... It resembled a crude but somewhat elegant stone archway. This, was her destination!

It had taken months of meticulous research to learn the location of the Cronos Gate. Even though it had stood here - proudly for countless eons, the number of people and literature on it and its location was sparse at best. For every hour she spent researching the gate the more she thought the old legend of the _'Gate of Time'_ was nothing but a myth or perhaps some crazy dream she had. That was until she acquired the last two Zodiac Keys and with it gained access to the Spirit Realm's Vast Archives... And there she found what she had been searching for - the location of the legendary gate.

As Lucy neared the archway she was overwhelmed by its shear size. At over twenty feet tall, she felt small and insignificant in its presence. It took every ounce of courage she had just to stand at its great opening. Intricately carved designs and patterns filled the archway from the pillar on the right up to the top and down the pillar on the left and at her feet was a small raised alter with an opening just large enough to place ones fist in to. Yes!... That was the part that she had been dreading the most!

Throwing caution to the wind, Lucy rifled through her bag and grinned when she pulled out a small four-inch dagger which she keep for emergencies... Well more for protection these days and she needed every edge she could get after the last few years of constant threats from mages, Acnologia and whatever demon of the week that was causing havoc at that time.

As she stared at the blade an image of Erza crossed her mind and Lucy smiled at the thought of her friend which she would never see again but she had already resolved herself to her faith and now she was on the verge of completing her self-appointed task. She took a deep breath and winced as she drew the blade across the palm of her hand... The pain was tolerable as she had been on the receiving end of much worse, many times before. As she watched her blood drip from her hand and fall onto the alter below, she steadied her nerves and with a sudden burst of courage she pushed her fist into the opening of the alter and began to recite the incantation she had committed to memory...

 _"Cronos, Lord of Time, please hear my plea..._

 _I Lucy Heartfilia request access to travel..._

 _Open your door and let me past..._

 _Cronos! Gate of the time-keeper... I open thee!"_

A moment past and nothing happened... "Did I miss somethi..." She thought out-loud but quickly stopped as she noticed the alter start to glow a deep red... A sudden gust of wind blew Lucy back several feet, fortunately the grass was soft and lessened the blow. The sky grew dark and red-sparks danced around the archway. Something was happening and Lucy was starting to think this may not have been such a great idea but she never got a chance to debate the idea with herself as a flash of lightning hit the archway and a red-transparent portal filled its opening.

It glowed and shimmered as a large elderly man walked through. At more than twenty feet tall he was a towering figure but his shoulder-length white hair and long beard put her somewhat at ease as _'he'_ reminded her of a larger version of her Spirit friend, Crux. He wore brown leather sandals and a white toga with gold accents. _'Regal'_ came to mind as Lucy looked him up-and-down but of course she should think that, as he was after-all, the God of Time... Cronos!

 _ **"Who dares disturb my slumber?"**_ The tall yet dashing old gentleman said with a deep voice.

"I-I..." Lucy stuttered as she stared up at the larger-than-life figure. She wanted to run and hide but there was nowhere to hide, only an open field in every direction.

 _ **"Well speak?"**_ Cronos sighed. _**"I don't have all day!"**_

...

"I-I..." Lucy took a deep breath and slowly released it as she attempted to calm her nerves. "...I..." She tried to speak again but was quickly interrupted as the angry towering-figure stomped his foot causing the ground to shake.

 _ **"YOU ALREADY SAID THAT!"**_ He roared. _**"Speak or I shall return to my slumber."**_

"P-Please don-n't go!" Lucy blurted out... Her body trembled as Cronos knelled before her. With his face only inches away from hers he grinned and lightly chuckled at the shaking girl cowering below him.

 _ **"So you can talk after-all!?"**_ He crossed his arms in front of his chest and roared. His laughter was loud and boisterous but somewhat soothing to Lucy... It felt comforting and was as if she had heard it before!

"Sorry!... B-But you k-kind of caught me off g-guard!" Lucy shuddered as she fidgeted with the dagger in her hand. Her body felt like it was on fire and every nerve ending was a-blaze as she felt her power quickly drain. This felt eerily familiar, almost the same feeling she would get when she summoned one of her spirits and if it was, then she had to act fast or she would have nothing left for the next stage of her plan...

 _ **"What is it you seek?..."**_ Cronos asked the young blonde-mage. _**"...Remember... You may only use my service once in your lifetime... So choose wisely!"**_ Lucy stared up at the towering figure and with a poor attempt at a smile, nodded her understanding.

Thanks to her mother's diary, Lucy knew the exact date, time and place... "I understand!... Please take me to the year x777, the seventh day of the seventh month at two-thirty in the afternoon... Location - the Heartfilia estate, near the east gate!" She released a slow breath as she attempted to steady her nerves and calm her racing heart.

Cronos closed his eyes and stood still for what seemed like an eternity which caused Lucy to smirk as the thought of Crux came to mind again. _'Perhaps they're related!... That must be it!'_ She thought but she was quickly bought back to the senses as Cronos began to speak. _**"Granted!"**_ He said with a deep sigh.

"Thank you!" Lucy bowed her head before slowly returning to her feet.

 _ **"I wouldn't be so fast to thank me, young one..."**_ He said with a devilish smile as he turned towards the archway and touched the top causing it to glow a brilliant white. _**"...You know there is a price to pay for such a journey!"**_

"I understand... How long do I have?"

Cronos rubbed his chin as he thought long and hard about when he had arrived and in doing so came to the best calculation he could...

 _ **"By my calculations... Less than an hour and the trip through the time-gate will take most of that. So you better hurry!"**_ He said as he stepped away from the gate and motioned for the grateful girl to pass. She said a warm thank you and disappeared through the gate.

 _ **"Be safe my old friend!"**_ Cronos said as his appearance slowly shifted to that of a more familiar appearance. Gone was the white toga... Now the old man was adorned with gleaming-silver armor and an exaggerated mustache and by his side was his trusted friend Leo. _**"You know what you must do?"**_ The Spirit King exclaimed.

"Leave it to me... We will save her this time!" Loki said with a small bow before disappearing.

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There was no flash of light, no fireworks, no welcoming committee, just a brief moment of confusion and Lucy was now standing in a clearing on the outskirts of her family's property. From her vantage point beside a large oak tree she could clearly see her mother placing keys on the Eclipse Gate. Lucy sighed as she stared at the Aquarius Constellation slot which unfortunately remained empty.

Lucy trembled as she remembered the story Aquarius told her and Brandish about her mother and how she used her own life-force to activate the gate but that was so many years ago... At least to Lucy that was the case, for Layla Heartfilia that would be today.

...But today things would have a different outcome. She could change her mother's fate which bought a smile to Lucy's face and gave her a swelling sense of pride. She'd hope that her mother would be proud of her but unfortunately Layla would never get a chance to know or even understand what was about to happen as she was suddenly knocked unconscious by a rather stealthy pink-haired spirit.

Lucy slowly stood but immediately crashed to the ground as her legs buckled under her own weight... _'Why?'_ She thought, but that quickly became apparent as she noticed the faint white haze surrounding her body followed by moments where her arms and hands faded - becoming transparent and then returned to normal. It was happening just as she had anticipated... She was slowly fading from this existence and she had to act fast or all her effort would be wasted...

Quickly getting to her feet Lucy sprinted towards the Eclipse gate and her unconscious mother. She wanted desperately to gaze upon her mother's face, to hold her even if for a moment but her body was now phasing back and forth at an alarming rate. She was almost out of time!

"Hime! Punishment!" Virgo said with a faint smile as her eyes never once wavered from her master.

"Heh!... What!... No!... For the last time, _NO!_... And... Thank you for all your help, I knew I could count on you!" Lucy laughed as she pulled her bag from her shoulder and laid it on the ground. She quickly rummaged through it and pulled out a handful of sealed white envelopes and a brown book. As she thumbed through the letters she laid one by her mother's side and handed the rest to her friend Virgo. "Virgo, please give these to our friends! I'm sorry but I'm afraid I'll have to break our contracts now!... P-Please tell them-m... Thank you and I love you all!"

"Hime!?" Virgo looked away for a moment as she shyly wiped tears from her eyes.

Lucy reached for her keys and pulled out Virgo's key and held it high and chanted. "Force Gate Closure!" Virgo gasped as she disappeared with a burst of light.

With the last of her energy she knelled down in front of her mother and placed a key in her hand and whispered, "please take care of them!... Protect my friends!" With her final task complete, Lucy closed her eyes and slumped forward...

...As she hit the ground a black key tumbled from her pocket. To the untrained eye it looked like any other celestial key but this wasn't any normal key by-any-means, this key was blessed and only meant for her... Next to the key lay a tattered and torn brown-book with the ominous title _'A Fairy's Journey! by_ _ _Lucy Heartfilia's_ '_ and resting next to it, was one last white envelope with two words carefully written in old script... It simply said, _'Zeref Dragneel'!?_

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 _ **"Next chapter "Past: Friends meet!"**_

 **Please leave a review and fav and follow if you'd like to read more.**


	2. Ch 2 - Past - Friends meet!

**Sorry everyone had this chapter posted yesterday and I deleted it by mistake.**

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 _ **Chapter 2 - "Past - Friends meet!"**_

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As Fairy Tail's Celestial Mage slowly began to slip into a death like coma, a bright-white light washed over her. When the bright light dissipated, thirteen Celestial Spirits stood directly behind her.

Before anyone could utter a word, the orange-haired Spirit rushed to the side of his fallen master. His heart ached as he watched her chest rise and fall sporadically knowing that time was off the essence If he, no, they were going to save their precious friend. After-all, he owed her this much for what she had done for him so long ago. If truth be told, they all owed the blonde mage, for it was her that loved and protected them as no other Celestial Mage had done before. She fought at their side and for that they were in her debt and now they would return that kindness with kindness of their own.

"Ophiuchus!... Hurry over here and pick up our princess!" Leo said as he retrieved the items laying near Lucy and stuffed them inside her back-pack, while doing that he rummaged through her pack and pulled out Aquarius's broken key and tossed the pieces to the water mage who caught them with ease. When he finished he unhooked Lucy's keys and again threw the keys to their respective owners. As he stared down at his own key, he smiled as memories of the young mage danced in his head. Grasping his key tightly he stood and glared back at the other Spirit's who were quiet and very sad at the sight of their master in a death-like-state. "We have to go!... NOW!... Or it will be too late!" He shouted.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Leo sighed as he watched the green-haired nurse slowly saunter up to his princess. He understood that Ophiuchus didn't like the blonde-haired mage that much but now wasn't the time for personal agendas.

"NOW OPHIUCHUS!" He roared at the slow but shocked woman, who felt slighted by the unusual demeanour of the loud Spirit. Moving towards her fallen comrade a nearly inaudible sigh escaped her lips. This wasn't what she had wanted for her master but arguing with the distraught Lion Spirit wasn't going to get her anywhere.

"Fine!... But you own me-denasu!" Ophiuchus groaned as she knelled down and gently picked up the Celestial mage and walked back towards the Eclipse Gate. As she waited for the others to get into position, Loki hooked Lucy's back-pack across her shoulder and joined the other Spirits at the gate.

When all twelve Spirits were standing in front of the gate, Loki nodded and they proceeded to remove their respective gate-key. These were the keys that the Celestial Mage Layla had earlier placed in the gate, once removed, they tossed them towards the unconscious mage, Layla Heartfilia. With the addition of Aquarius's new key, thanks to Lucy's efforts, Layla was now in possession of all twelve Zodiac keys... This was what their master had wanted! No! This was what she had so diligently worked towards for all those months. She wanted to save her mother and give the Dragon Slayers another chance at life, perhaps an easier life this time around!

Lucy believed that if the Dragon Slayers had a stable home when they entered her mother's timeline they would have a better chance of surviving. ...And a chance to help one-another become even stronger than they were in her timeline. With her mother's help and her families wealth, Lucy thought they stood a better chance this time unlike the last time when they had to fend for themselves before they found their way to Fairy Tail. She felt this aversely affected their potential and she hoped her letter to her mother would save her friends some heartache and bring everyone together, sooner!

With one last look around, the Zodiac Spirits nodded their understanding and one-by-one they disappeared leaving behind twelve glowing keys. With a big grin the Serpent waved her hand towards the Eclipse Gate and all twelve Zodiac keys flew forward and embedded themselves in their designated spots on the gate.

With a shrug of her shoulders, the Green-haired girl spoke, "Ummm!... Well!... Take us to wherever it is that we're supposed to be-denasu!"

A faint 'ding-dong' echoed from the gate and a moment later two large doors opened to reveal a portal to their desired destination. As a white mist seeped from the the gate opening and slowly enveloped her, she quietly removed her friends keys and walked through the gate. With her master protectively in her arms, she disappeared.

* * *

 **Year - X452, Northern Fiore**

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In a small room far from the hustle and bustle of city life, a tall beautiful-blonde cries as she gently rocks a small crib... This should be a joyous time for the new mother but that wasn't the case as her child lay comatose in her crib.

The past two weeks had been a blur; a living nightmare for Anna Heartfilia, as her home was in an uproar as doctors and mages from all walks of life had come and gone in an effort to help her daughter but her frantic search was proving to be fruitless. She had tried every known cure known to man and then some! She even went as far as attempting to concoct her own potions but she failed miserably... Yet the sleep deprived woman still soldiered-on!

The only solace she could take-away from this situation was that her husband had taken their two eldest daughters to Alvarez to visit his family for a month. She would have joined them if it wasn't for her three month old, who her husband felt was to young for such an arduous journey! With them gone, she was thankful that they would be spared this misery for a little while more.

Rising to her feet she reached into her pocket and pulled out a key. To a non-magic user it looked like most other keys but to a magic user, especially a Celestial Mage, this was a gate key... To be more precise it was a Zodiac key and belonged to the leader of the Zodiac, Leo the Lion!

Anna closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves, which wasn't easy these days as her daughter laid motionless in the crib beside her with an infliction that suddenly appeared out-of-nowhere just two weeks earlier... Which coincidently coincided with another frustration of hers - her inability to summon her Spirits.

She poured her magic into the key like she had done countless times in the past but her frayed nerves had her doubting he would hear her call but she would never stop trying! "Please Leo!... I'm begging you, please answer me this time!" She whispered. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she pleaded, "Open, Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

 _'Ding-Dong!'_

She gasped!... That simple sound was like a wonderful symphony. 'A blessing to her senses!' she thought. Her heart skipped a beat as that beautiful sound, one that she had longed to hear for the past two weeks echoed through the room... But instead of the normal golden glow which normally preceded her Spirit's arrival, Leo's key grew brighter and brighter, forcing Anna to shield her eyes with her free arm. When the light's intensity diminished, she was shocked to see not only Leo standing before her but all twelve of her Zodiac Spirits. They looked exhausted, as if a mere breeze would knock them to their knees... What had caused their predicament was something she would figure out later, but what she saw next shocked her!

As her Spirits stepped a-side, they revealed an unfamiliar Spirit holding what looked to be a younger version of herself. Anna gasped when she saw the lifeless figure dangling in the Nurses' arms and her eyes quickly shot to her own lifeless daughter laying in the crib next to her. Immediately she knew the two incidents had to be connected!

"Loki!... Where in the hel... Never mind!" She said as she rushed to the Spirit holding lifeless girl, her eyes showed her surprise at seeing the girl who was a carbon copy of herself... "I need Crux's help!"

"I'm sorry Anna-Sama, we're running out of time! ...Please bring your child and meet us outside!" Leo said as he and the other spirit's flew through the door and disappeared leaving Anna dazed at what had just transpired.

A few minutes later Anna emerged from her home clutching her three-month old daughter... What she saw next left the woman baffled and quite shocked. Standing protectively over the young blonde were thirteen Spirits and towering above them was a sight very few humans or mages for-that-matter had ever seen... The Legendary Spirit King!

"Hurry and bring the brat over here!" Aquarius yelled as she pointed to an empty space next to the annoying brat on the ground. 'Why she had to help these brats was beyond her!' She thought as she waited for the dense woman to move but she just stood there, stunned. This annoyed her even further but before she could speak again Aries was already walking towards her profusely apologizing over her shoulder to Anna, who was left standing empty-handed near her front door - stunned by the turn of events.

Things were happening at such a fast pace Anna was left speechless. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out... Her attempt to move and run after her baby failed and left her frustrated. She felt like she were trapped inside her body and had no control over it... As she scanned the area she noticed a small magic circle just below her and she recognized it immediately, it was a binding spell! 'Shit!' She screamed to herself.

The Spirit King looked down upon his old friend and sighed as he pulled out his sword and held it high above his head and began to recite a spell. It was one that he had recited many times in the past. With every word he spoke his voice seemed to resonate with the two unconscious forms below him... As it slowly reached it's crescendo a glowing black-key slipped from Lucy's bag and drifted a few feet above her and with a mighty stroke he bought his sword and all of it's might down upon the black key creating a blinding flash of light...

As the light slowly faded, Lucy gasped for a long over-due breath and instinctively her arm shot up and grabbed the floating key. With the key firmly grasped in her hand a flood of images rushed through her head and a moment later she disappeared. The black key that Lucy held only moments ago stopped glowing and dropped onto the chest of the infant below.

 _'Ding-dong!'_

As she heard that familiar sound, Lucy's head quickly whipped around and she came face-to-face with the Spirit King. She had met him several times throughout her life but seeing him this up close was unsettling. With a quick glance around she could easily see that she was in the Spirit Realm... Why was she here and why she wasn't dead were questions she needed answers to!

"Welcome my old friend!" The Spirit King said with a smirk. "I know you have questions but if you would indulge me for a few moments of your time all will become clear!" He said as the stars around them started to warp and slowly fade to black. A moment later they watched as a meteorite crashed into the top of a mountain.

"That's where it all began for us!" He winked as the seasons flew by - Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall... The Seasons changed instantly as time moved at an incredible pace, until it stopped to reveal...

...Nestled high a-top a mountain stood the ruins of an ancient monastery. The 'Sacred Mountain!' as it had been known to the local farmers, had been used for many centuries by those who at one time or another seeked Spiritual Purity... They were the 'Keepers of the Crux', which was an ancient artefact sent from the heavens. It contained an unknown energy source which many scholars and clergy had tried to harness but failed miserably.

For two-hundred years the 'Keepers of the Crux' worked tirelessly to unlock the heavenly relic but none could and over the next thousand years the monastery fell into disarray and in the end was abandoned and forgotten until one day an insignificant blacksmith and his wife, who was with child, moved into the small stone house just below the ruins of the monastery. In their attempt to escape the roaming hoards of mercenaries, they would inevitably release a power that would change Earthland forever... A power simply known as 'Magic!'

Several generations later a lone blacksmith plied her craft high a-top the 'Sacred Mountain' in her ancestral home. As time went on she would become the finest blacksmith to have ever lived. Her name was Cetus! (See-dis)

* * *

 **Year 990 of the Old Calender**

* * *

As she finished the last of her quota for the neighbouring kingdom of Wisslot, a young blonde-headed girl left her forge and headed for the spring just behind her families home. Dipping her chalice into the clear spring water, she marvelled at its clarity and sweet fragrance... To her this was as good as any fine wine that could be found anywhere in Fiore. She raised the chalice to her lips and in one fluid motion allowed the sweet liquid to slid down her throat but as refreshing as the clear water was her thirst was still not quenched and she lowered her chalice for another helping.

What she saw when she peered back into the clear water would change not only her life but that of her descendants as well, for staring back at her was the weird face of an old man with an exaggerated moustache. His grin startled the blacksmith and she scurried back until her back collided with the hillside behind her and she couldn't move any further.

"Must be good?" The old man said as he licked his lips and pointed towards the spring. "Mind if a weary traveller partakes of your fragrant elixir?" She was stunned at the towering figure, who's enormous frame blocked the sun. After her heart stopped pounding she slowly nodded her head.

"B-Be my guest!" She stuttered as she watched the giant produce a large metal cup from thin air and scoop up a generous amount of the water from the small pool below the spring. He made exaggerated noises while he drank and when he finished his eyes shot open and a gentle smile framed his face.

"Wow!... That's got quite the kick to it! Etherion is it?"

"Yes!... The water washes over the 'Crux' up in the monastery!" She said as if it were common knowledge.

"So this is how you are able to craft such fine weapons and armours! You infuse them with this magic-infused water!?"

"Hmm!... Oh, yes!... My wares are the best in the land, perhaps the best in all off Earthland!" She proudly stated as she slowly pulled herself to her feet and climbed the stone staircase behind her. When she reached the top she stood face-to-face with the man who had startled her earlier.

"Actually that is why I am here!" He said as he took a moment to examine every inch of the young lady before him. Although she was dressed in tattered clothes, her apron was of the finest leather and was held together with strands of finely woven gold. Immediately the craftsmanship of her apron caught his attention but then upon closer inspection he could make-out the finer details of her facial features.

Although she was covered from head-to-toe in sweat and soot, he could tell that underneath all the dirt was a very beautiful young woman. He moved his glowing hand across the front of her and when he looked at her again she was radiant. With all of the sweat and soot gone, he could see she had bright brown eyes and her golden-hair glistened in the afternoon sun... 'An intriguing combination,' he thought!

Lucy gasped when she saw the beautiful young woman before them. The Spirit King smirked but held back her curiosity with a finger to her lips. "Look familiar?" He said with a smirk and she nodded.

"I have a job that only you can complete!"

"A job?" She stared at him with a puzzled look. His stoic expression left her wondering who or what this creature was. "Before I discuss any type of work, I like to know who I'm dealing with!... In my line of work it pays to know your clientele!"

He broke into laughter which for a split second confused her but quickly it put her at ease. There was something and she just put couldn't her finger on what it was exactly but there was something about this being that totally put her at ease. Almost as if she instinctively knew he was someone she could wholeheartedly trust.

A small magic circle appeared above her hand and a small decorative silver-key fell out of it and dropped into her palm. Running her fingers along its cool steel, it struck her as odd that this key appeared to have none of the qualities she would expect from a key that would open a lock. Yet it was definitely a key!

"What's this?" She curiously inquired as she examined every finite detail of the odd looking key in her hand.

"That is what I require your services for!"

"...But why would you need me to make this when you can create it?" She wondered if this man was for real, perhaps he was just playing with her! That thought had crossed her mind but from the serious expression on his face she knew better than to make that assumption of him.

"That is but a mere facsimile and not the real thing!" He said with a grin as he leaned in closer to observe her curious reaction. "What I need cannot be created through magic nor can it be poured into some mold! ... It must be forged as you would any high quality weapon or tool! If there is no blood, sweat and tears involved in its creation, it will be of no use for its intended purpose! Of course a pinch of magic couldn't hurt!" He winked at the beauty standing before him.

"Th-That's insane! To forge a key is pure madness!" She shook her head as she desperately tried to wrap her mind around what he was asking of her. 'Pure and utter madness!' She thought. "It would take years to develop a viable process and even if I could, the amount of heat required to work something so small, I can't create that by myself!"

"This is true but you are more than capable of such a task and I could help if needed!" He grinned which left the poor woman wondering if maybe this guy had some sort of undiagnosed mental disorder. The more he examined this girl the more intrigued he was by her. 'Perhaps this is one human, I wouldn't mind getting closer too!' He thought as he felt something stir inside that he'd never felt before.

She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath. As she slowly released it she opened her eyes and prepared to give this behemoth a piece of her mind! But as she looked around he was nowhere to be seen and a wave of relief washed over her for a brief moment until she heard a voice yelling to her from her forge.

"Damn it!" She growled as she hurried down the stairs and ran towards her workshop. Coming to a quick stop at the two wide open doors, she peeked inside and saw a normal version of the giant from only a few moments ago. He was examining every nook-and-cranny of her workshop with keen interest...

"Extraordinary work!" He said as he examined a gleaming golden bowl but before he could place it back on the table she snapped it from his hands and growled.

"Hey!... Don't just go into someone's place and touch their stuff without their permission!" She huffed as she pulled the bowl close to her chest. A slight hint of a childish pout made the strange man laugh to himself.

He waved his hands in front of himself "Sorry!... Sorry!" He said in an apologetic fashion and then a closed door caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye he watched the pouting girl carefully place the bowl back on the table he had taken it from earlier. He used that momentary distraction to scurry over and open the closed door.

"Is this where you keep the good stuff!" He shouted from inside her private armoury.

"H-Hey!... Stop!... Don't go in there!" But it was too late as he had already entered the room. She could hear a high-pitched whistle and a hint of a blush crossed her cheeks. "Damn it!" She hissed.

As she entered the room she could see the excited man ogling a wooden mannequin with a tight-red set of armour with gold breast plates draped over it. He ran his fingers suggestively over it, carefully tracing the contours of it's delicate trim.

"Hands off my 'Flaming Empress' you Pervert!" She yelled as she pushed the man away from her creation and quickly produced a cloth and started to meticulously shine the blemished gold breast-plate.

"Sorry!... Sorry!..." He smirked as he held his hands up in a show of defeat and understanding. "Although!... I think you should make that gold, orange! Probably suit it better!" The girl tilted her head and rubbed her chin as she re-examined her creation and she nodded.

"Perhaps your right!" She said as she agreed with his observation. "Hey!... Stop changing the subject you perv!"

He laughed as he continued to look around... He was amazed as he noticed suit after suit of exquisite armours and all manners of weapons. His eyes lit-up when he realized where he had seen most of these before.

"Erza!" Lucy exclaimed as she noticed most of Erza's more powerful armours hanging on those mannequins. "She created Erza's weapons and armours!?" The Spirit King smiled and nodded his head.

"She made your whip as well!" He grinned when Lucy's eyes lit-up.

After days of asking nicely, well begging to be more precise, the girl finally relented and agreed to create his keys. Although she cursed herself for agreeing when she found out he wanted not one but eighty-eight keys made. She cried herself to sleep that night!

The one stipulation she had and she would not bend on it, was that he would tend to the fire and if he didn't she would not work on his contract. The man agreed as he had quickly become infatuated with the beautiful yet bubbly girl.

As time went by she got to know the man intimately and a year later they had a daughter. ...But no matter how many times she asked him during that time he would not tell her what the keys were for, nor would he give her any information about himself. She took to calling him 'Friend' and he in turn did the same, even though he knew her to be known as Cedus - named after the constellation Cedus by her father, who was infatuated with the stars. A tight bond grew between the two and over the years they grew closer and became nearly inseparable. The only exception being the times he would disappear for a few days but he would always return to them with an apologetic smile and a little gift.

Along with their daughter Lucy, whom her 'Friend' insisted on naming their child, the three forged a loving family. Cedus never understood why she needed a last name as it was something that none of her ancestors ever required or ever wanted for that matter. Yet her friend insisted she'd have one. He said, "it gave them something that would forever bind them!"

On top of that secluded mountain they had everything they needed and life was perfect or so she thought!

As time passed she created key after key after key. It was a seemingly endless cycle of work that was only interrupted by their brief moments of blissful family-life.

As for her keys - any imperfection and she would simply toss the reject onto a pile in the corner. As the years passed the pile grew higher and higher until it nearly reached the ceiling and when she finally created her contracted eighty-eight keys, ten years had passed.

Laying on a table before her was one black key, twelve golden keys and 75 silver keys. She was proud of what she had accomplished but her smile quickly faded as her 'Friend' requested one last key, another black key. 'A bonus to the customer!' He laughed as she sighed in defeat.

A week later he, the eighty-eight keys and the pile of rejects had all disappeared without warning. It was normal for him to disappear and after spending the last ten years with her 'Friend', the unnamed man, she still felt he was someone she could wholeheartedly trust, after-all he did have a wife and daughter to return to... But that was not to be as a group of mercenaries led by several mages came looking for weapons and when she attempted to stop them, things went horribly wrong.

A month later the Spirit King returned to find the house he had shared with Cedus and Lucy, burned to the ground. The blacksmith shop which he spent countless hours feeding the flames was destroyed and Cedus' armoury was empty.

He cringed when he neared the spring, he knew what he would find as he'd seen that image play out so many times in his mind over the last ten years. He had returned to the Spirit Realm numerous times over the years searching for an answer but found none that worked. He tried every viable possibility to prevent it from happening and each time the cost was too high.

As he stood at the spring, a lone tear fell from his right eye and he dropped to his knees besides his deceased family. Over the years he had cried so many tears that now he was nearly void of that emotion. No matter how many times he had seen this in his visions, it paled in comparison to the real thing and the pain it left with him was almost unbearable.

With a gentle touch he pulled Cedus and then Lucy from the spring and lovingly placed them on the grassy bank... The thought of revenge entered his mind but he quickly dismissed it. He knew it would only complicate matters and mess up certain futures and that would be just as bad but he did have one alternative and at this point it was the only option available to him. He pulled the black key, the special one he requested, from his pocket and placed it just above their bodies and whispered an incantation. The black key glowed and then disappeared. It would be several hundred years before the black key would see the light of day again, all thanks to a certain Fairy Tail Ice-Make mage, who would find it hidden deep in the back of a dark forgotten cave.

"We are forever connected my wife, my love... My old 'Friend'! We will meet again!" He smiled as he waved his hand over the earth and a hole appeared on the other side of the spring. He picked up Cedus and placed her lifeless form in the hole and moved on to the six-year old child. He picked her up and placed a kiss on her forehead, "As for you my little bundle of energy, I will see you smile again!"

He placed Lucy next to her mother and gently wrapped Cedus' arms around her daughter. With one last look he waved his glowing hand over the grave and watched as it filled with earth. Once he was back on his feet he returned to his more familiar form and pulled the sword his wife had forged for him and looked to the heavens... The sky clouded over and a bolt of lightning struck the blade. He marvelled at how it seemed to dance across the blade! With a roar he thrust the mighty sword into the ground just above the head of the grave. A moment later the sword took the form of a stone headstone...

With a final glance, the Spirit King whispered a simple phrase, "be reborn!" and then disappeared.

Lucy watched from her vantage point high above. The Spirit King looked sad but she smiled as she realised what was written on the tombstone. It read, 'Here lies my beloved wife and child, we shall meet again!' Below that phrase she gasped when she read their names. 'Cedus and Lucy Heartfilia, died year x001'.

As the scene faded back to the Spirit Realm, Lucy stared at the man in front of her and a lone tear fell from his right eye. She felt her heart creep up her throat and she opened her mouth to speak, "That's us, w..." But she was interrupted by the Spirit King.

"Welcome back my old, 'Friend!'" He laughed as he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Then that means, she's..."

"Yes!... She's the reincarnation of our daughter and she needs our help!" He said as he slowly pulled away. "Your spirit and her spirit are connected and have been for many years, but now that link has been severed. She's fading fast and until I can find..." He paused as he looked to the stars, "...a more permanent solution. I need you to supply her with your life-force. The Zodiac will in turn supply you with theirs!"

"Okay but how long would we be able to keep that up?... If I recall Loki was only able to stay in the human world for a few short years!" Lucy was shocked when he smiled and pointed towards a large form quickly descending behind her. As she covered her mouth with her hands, she gasped as the beast landed in front of her... It was a...

"A Dragon!"

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter "The Sky Dragon!"_**

 **Thank you everyone for your support. Please review, fav and follow.**

 **\- Just to let everyone know our main character/s will appear next chapter and it will probably be the last chapter that we see Lucy with this much focus.**

 ** _\- Also, don't put to much stock into the Spirit King/Lucy portion of the story, it's only there as a way to bring all the story elements together and has little effect on our MC's._  
**


	3. Ch 3 - The Sky Dragon!

**Sorry everyone for the lateness of my update but I've been busy the past few weeks around the house.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3 - "The Sky Dragon!"**_

* * *

 **Two Years Later...**

* * *

As the sun slowly disappeared behind the treeline a single ray of light broke through an opening in the trees and carefully bathed a sleeping two-year old child - Her name was Lucia Heartfilia. While the child slept, thirteen celestial spirits kept watch over her.

"She's late again!..." Virgo sighed as she knelled down and gently ran her fingers through Lucia's golden locks. "...That's the third time this week!"

"Yes!... And she's been acting rather strangely as of late!" Capricorn added.

"...And what should I do about it? I've tried talking to her but she won't give me any answers!" Said the perturbed celestial lion.

"Well we can't babysit forever! Besides we still have our own duties to attend too and I for one am sick of babysitting this little brat!" Aquarius smirked as she shot a small beam of water just past the sleeping child's head. A low voice behind her growled causing water spirit to cringe.

"We are, don't do that my dear!" Growled the sand spirit. "She won't' like it!"

"WHAT!... But honey!... " Aquarius swooned "She's not here and... And besides, the brat doesn't scare m..." Aquarius innocently said but before she could finish speaking, she was sent flying through the brush, coming to an abrupt stop when she slammed into a nearby tree.

A slender hand gripped tightly around the water spirit's neck and pulled her to her feet. A soft but menacing voice spoke, "if I ever catch you doing anything like that again against my charge I'll kill you!... Do you understand?" A terrified Aquarius gulped as she slowly nodded her understanding. "Good!" The blonde woman smirked as she dropped the water-mage to the ground.

"Lucy!... I mean Cetus! Was that really necessary!?" Leo growled. "We've all been stuck in this world for the past two years, so you have to understand if we aren't quit ourselves lately!"

"Hmmm!... Did you say something Loki and for the last time, there is nothing inside of me that is Lucy! So don't call me that again!... Whatever made Lucy - Lucy, it's now inside the child!" Cetus laughed as she turned and approached the sleeping child. She bent down and scooped up Lucia and turned towards the annoyed Zodiac Spirits. "What!?" She exclaimed. They all shook their heads and waved off her menacing look.

"Well Cetus-dono, did you find what you've been searching for?" Capricorn said as he leaned against a tree with his arms folded. Her eyes grew wide as a smile made her face lit-up.

"Yes!... Follow me!" She exclaimed as turned and walked into the woods. She was quickly followed by the rest of the Zodiac.

"Scarey!" Aquarius mumbled as she latched onto Scorpios' arm and followed her comrades.

* * *

 **Present - July 8, X784**

* * *

Perched beneath a mountain range and secluded inside a vast forest stood a small unnamed village. It's residents were comprised of farmers, cooks, maids and other paid employees of the Heartfilia Corporation. To those outside it's protective barrier, it appeared as the home of the Heartfilia family but to those on the inside, it was home of the magic world's greatest kept secret... It was the oldest known guild in existence and could trace it's roots back to the the time of the Dragon King Festival. It's name is Dragon's Heart had been run by a Heartfilia for nearly four-hundred years.

The thing that distinguishes it's members from those of known guilds is that their hidden guild mark is only visible to those of the Dragon's Heart guild. Members of the Dragon's Heart guild are always members of other legal guilds and the guild that houses the most members of Dragon's Heart is the noisy and often destructive guild called Fairy Tail.

As she shifted in her high-backed winged chair the blonde head of the Heartfilia family was engrossed in a romance novel that her daughter in-law had bought back from a mission she and her husband had completed earlier that day. A crackling fire poped in the background as a large heavy door opened and a tall bearded man entered the room and took a seat next to the exquisitely dressed blonde.

"Layla your not reading another one of those foolish books are you!" He said as he slowly shook his head. She looked up from her book and grinned. She knew it was a waste of time and provided no worth from a business or tactical standpoint but she just loved to get lost in that imaginary world even if it was only for a short time.

"Now Jude dear, be nice!... I don't bother you when your wrapped up in your sporting magazines!" She smirked as she playfully stuck out her tongue. He chucked at his wife's childish antics. After years of marriage to this woman he always found her to be a good source of entertainment.

"Yes dear!" He said with a small bow to which Layla giggled. "I'm guessing, Erza's doing!"

"Of course!" Layla slipped an envelope between the pages and closed the book. "She always brings me the best gifts!"

"When did they get back from their mission?"

"About an hour ago!" Layla said as she poured her husband a cup of tea and handed it to him. He smiled and took a sip and then groaned.

"Typical!" Jude said as he laid his cup on the coffee table. "I'm always the last to know when one of the kids shows up! That's what I get for treating them so nice!" He crossed his arms and pouted.

"Oh you poor dear... Nobody loves you!" She teased as she gently cupped his face. Jude blushed and leaned forward and kissed his wife. She returned his kiss and soon the two were nearly in the throws of passion but they were quickly bought back to reality as the large door flew open and an excited voice yelled.

"Pops!... I'm home!"

"Damn it Natsu, you have the worst timing of anyone in this house!" Jude said as he rested his head on Layla's shoulder and sighed while his free hand was caressing her face. "Go away!" He playfully growled.

"Okay, but I'm keeping your gift then!" Natsu giggled as Jude dropped Layla on the floor and raced across the floor to his adopted son, who was laughing at his enraged mother laying on the floor. "I think Moms gonna kill you!" Natsu whispered to Jude. Jude froze at the thought of a pissed-off Celestial Mage bearing down on them.

"Please help me son!" The terrified man exclaimed as he cowered behind Natsu but a voice from the door laughed.

"Gh-hi-hi!" The tall raven-haired man doubled over laughing. "Nothing ever changes here!"

"Gajeel!... Ah! ... And Levy as well!" Layla yelled as she shot her husband a death glare before rushing forward and hugging the pair as they stood just inside the door.

"Mother!" "Layla-sama!" They both said.

"What brings you two back so soon?" The glowing woman said as she smiled at them.

"That idiot!" Gajeel pointed at Natsu and groaned.

"Oh ya!... I forgot!" Natsu innocently ran his fingers through his hair and grinned. "I bought everyone with me!"

"Are Sting, Rogue and Wendy here as well!" Jude asked as his eyes brightened when he saw three more figures walk through the door.

"Mom, Dad!" Rogue said with a stoic smile.

"Momma!" Wendy yelled as she jumped into Layla's warm and inviting arms.

"Hey old man!" Sting grinned as he moved towards Jude and lightly punched his shoulder. They lightly exchanged punches and Jude grinned just before he pulled Sting into a headlock and rubbed his knuckles on the blonde's head.

Jude laughed as he leaned forward and kissed his son's forehead. He knew this would send the temperamental Dragon Slayer into a tizzy and he was right. Sting struggled free and turned beet red as everyone burst into laughter at his expense.

"He falls for that every-time!" Rogue said as he smirked at the embarrassed slayer.

"He's either an idiot or he like's it when the old ma..." Gajeel stopped mid-sentence when he caught a whiff of a new person approaching the door. "Here we go!" he mumbled as all eyes turned towards the door where an armor-clad red-headed warrior stood at the doorway holding a sleeping blonde girl. He could hear Erza's heart race and Gajeel knew she was nervous.

"Ahmmm!" A voice from the doorway sounded. She waited for the inevitable which came rather quickly as Jude took notice of the sleeping child in her arms.

"Oh my what do we have here?" Layla cooed as she approached the nervous Tatiana but was stopped by Natsu before she could get too close.

"Moms, Pops!... I think you should take a seat for a moment. Both looked at Natsu and the child sleeping in Erza's arms and moved towards them. Natsu sighed, "Please!... Please give us a moment!" They both nodded and joined Levy, Gajeel, Wendy and Rogue on the opposite couch.

Natsu turned his back to them and gently spoke to the child Erza held. "Hey little one, time to wake up!" She started to stir and Erza smiled as the child looked from Erza then to Natsu while rubbing her sleep-filled eyes.

"I-Is it morning already?" The child said as Erza lowered her to her feet between her and Natsu.

"Not yet sweetheart!" Erza said as she knelled down and smiled at the curious child. "There's some people who we'd like you to say hi to you!... Can you do that for us!"

"O-Okay!" She said shyly.

As Erza slowly stood, she looked to Natsu for support. His wide grin gave her comfort and with a long exhale to calm her nerves, she reaches down and took the child's hand and walked past Natsu.

The moment the child came into view, two loud gasps could be heard as Layla and Jude's eyes shot open at the child standing before them...

She was about six years old with long flowing blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She was wearing a blue knee-length dress with lace accents and dark blue shoes but her most noticeable feature were her over-sized canines which seemed to glisten when she smiled.

Layla fell to her knees at the sight of the child. Her mind was racing and she knew who she was staring at even though there were differences between 'her Lucy' and this child. She just knew the moment she saw her who she was, as did Jude who now moved quickly towards the nervous child.

"Lucy!" He excitedly said as he wrapped the child in a warm loving embrace and then he heard what his heart had missed for all those years... "P-Papa!" It was a softer voice than he'd remembered but it was her, he knew it! Every fiber of his being was screaming that this was his long-lost daughter.

"PAPA!" She screamed as tears flowed down her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to himself - relaxing, he felt her warmth envelop him. It felt like time stood still as he held his lost daughter in his arms but he was quickly bought back to reality when he felt another set of arms envelope them both and he knew immediately who it was.

"L-Layla, she's..."

"...Home!" Layla said as her tears fell. She never thought she would ever hold her daughter again.

The day the Dragon Slayers came into their lives had been a rough day... It was a day in-which they would see their family grow by five but it was also the day that their own daughter would disappear. They spent the next five years searching for her but no trace was ever found! It was as if she had disappeared of the face of Earthland but here she was, a little younger with different colored eyes but it was her... Of this Layla was absolutely certain!

"L-Lucy!" Layla nervously said in a low voice but the child heard her loud and clear and smiled up at her.

"Mamma!... I missed you so much!" She said as she wiggled free from her father and wrapped her arms tightly around her mother's neck. Layla dropped to the floor and cradled her crying daughter and then it happened, time stopped and ceiling of the great room disappeared revealing countless stars above. Layla looked around and noticed that everyone was frozen in place...

...As she turned her head from side-to-side she noticed two figures slowly approaching her. One was a tall graying man with an exaggerated mustache and the other looked as if she could pass for her twin.

"Miss Layla, I'm the Spirit King and this is my..." He turned to his companion who shook her head and sighed.

"Your Queen, you idiot!" The Blonde Spirit growled.

"Sorry!... Sorry Cedus! Anyway Miss Layla we need your help!"

* * *

 **Past - X454, Northern Fiore _(Two years after the Zodiac arrived in the past!)_**

* * *

It only seemed like a moment ago that Natsu and Erza stepped through the Eclipse gate but that was more than two days ago. When they arrived they walked into a trap, a carefully placed trap that someone had purposely set. How they knew they were coming was beyond them but they or perhaps someone, did know! So blindfolded they both sat waiting in that dark and damp place with their hands and feet restrained by something that inhibited their magic...

Even their 'bond' had been severed! Whoever did that to them knew exactly who they were and where they came from; they even knew of the pair's intimate relationship.

"Natsu!... NATSU!... Wake up!" Erza screamed as she felt a cold-clammy hand caress her cheek, it was void of heat, something that she had longed for the last few days.

In the two days that they had been restrained in that dungeon, that was the first contact they had had with anyone. Their senses were dulled and they had no clue as to who held them there against their will or what their end-game was.

Their captor never spoke nor did they give any reason for their confinement. The only sound they heard was a very low cackle and the sound of heavy-boots walking away from them, fading into the distance. That was the first and last time they saw or better yet heard their captors.

It took another two days to free themselves and when they finally made it to the surface they realized they were held deep below an old farm house at the edge of a dense forest. With no reason nor any trail to follow they moved on but that incident still remained fresh in their minds. Who had trapped them so easily and why they did it was something that still bothered the duo but that was nearly a year ago and they were finally zoning in on their target... The largest dragon known to exist, Caelestis, the Sky Dragon!

* * *

 **Just a few miles away!**

* * *

After several days of traveling, the Spirits of the Zodiac finally arrived at their destination - a large sunken plateau high a-top a weathered mountain. This was the nest of Caelestis, Queen of the Sky Dragons.

After decades of war she was one of the few dragons that survived the on-slough. For as much as she would have loved to have fought along-side her comrades and her daughter, Grandeeney, she found it difficult to keep up with the younger generation.

It had been nearly four years since she'd seen her home! 'It wasn't my intention to have been away for so long but sometimes things just have a tendency to go that way', she thought as she neared her nest.

"Flying through the clouds can be so invigorating especially at my age..." The Sky Dragon said with a thunderous roar. "...I needed this, but I wonder what the Spirit King meant when he said, "My new start!" Oh well... I'll figure it all out later!" She growled! "Sleep first!"

She roared with delight as her nest came into view but quickly a grin crossed her snout when she saw strangers standing above her nest! ...Her new life was about to begin!

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter "City of Lost Souls."_**

 **Finally our MC's appear!**

 **Thank you everyone for your support. Please review, fav and follow.**


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